The Byron, Tweed, Kyogle, Clarence and Lismore local government areas are included in a list of approved state funded projects aimed at improving physical health, mainly through walking.
The government says more than 50 construction-ready projects to be delivered by local councils have been funded as part of a $50 million Get NSW Active program aimed at ‘increasing options for people to travel through their neighbourhoods in an active way rather than sitting in traffic’.
A media release on the weekend said projects included separated bike paths, shared paths, footpaths and improved pedestrian crossings.
A large focus was on new paths in Western Sydney, with 16 projects spanning eight councils allocated a combined total of $14 million.
The Western Sydney projects come alongside 76 others, the release read, to been awarded funding across the state, with 40 based in regional NSW.
Byron’s Lighthouse Road footpath allocated $1.2 million
On the Northern Rivers, the Byron Shire Council was listed for $1,248,800 to fund the Lighthouse Road Byron Bay Footpath Connection.
The project is for a 842m footpath from the corner of Brooke Drive and Lighthouse Road to connect to the existing footpath at Cape Byron State Conservation Park.
Given the constrained narrow environment, funding information said, the footpath will vary in width from 1.5m to 2.5m.
Ooh la la: Lismore’s new Boulevard
The Lismore City Council was allocated $2,383,030 for a new Lismore Boulevard, designed to be a 6m wide shared path through Lismore Park linking the CBD, health precinct, transport, and recreational areas.
‘Designed for walking and cycling,’ the government’s release read, ‘it promotes active trips, leisure, comfort and safety through lighting, shade, seating, and spaciousness, encouraging reduced car reliance, and improved wellbeing for residents’.
Safer walks to and from school
The Tweed Shire Council was allocated $165,948 for raised pedestrian crossings on Queensland Road at Murwillumbah, with one near Murwillumbah Street and two at the Mooball Street intersection.
The crossings would particularly benefit students traveling to and from Mount Saint Patrick schools, the information read.
The Kyogle Council was allocated $425,338 to upgrade the footpath and kerbs from Sunderland Way to Wiangaree Public School along Kunghur St.
‘This will benefit the students who currently walk part of the way on a street, unseparated from the traffic,’ the government said.
Further south, the Clarence Valley Council was approved for $116,552 for 1.8 km of accessible pathway in Yamba addressing missing links, widening existing paths, and adding safe crossings.
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